Lahore, Oct 2 : Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf would give up his uniform before taking oath as the civilian head of the state, US Consulate Principal Officer Lahore Bryan D Hunt has said.

Hunt further said that national political reconciliation and the holding of free and fair general elections is vital for Pakistan.

Lahore, Oct 2 : The Pakistan Government is planning to promulgate an ordinance in the next 48 hours that would have an enormous bearing on the reported understanding between President Pervez Musharraf and former premier Benazir Bhutto, highly placed sources have said.

The ordinance would grant amnesty to all politicians, bankers and bureaucrats from all charges relating to misdemeanours, misconduct and misuse of power between 1985 and 2007, sources said.

Islamabad, Oct 1 : At least 15 people were killed and 19 others injured in a suspected suicide bomb blast in Pakistan’s north-western area on Monday morning.

According to police, a suicide attacker left a rickshaw at Afsar Chowk of Bannu and blown himself up.

A large number of people were present at the place when the blast was triggered. A severed head, probably of the attacker, has been found from the spot, The News reported.

The deceased include four policemen and 11 civilians.

Islamabad, Oct 1 : With less than a week to go for the presidential elections in Pakistan, uncertainty continues to prevail as to whether President General Pervez Musharraf would shed his uniform before seeking re-election on October 6, or he would wait till November 15.

There is no doubt in any official quarter that the President will have to quit his army slot by November 15 this year. The period during which he would say goodbye to the Pakistan Army spans approximately six weeks – from October 6 to November 15, The News reported.

Islamabad, Oct 1 : The Pakistan Supreme Court has asked the top administration of Islamabad to appear before it in connection with the Saturday’s violence that injured over 50 people.